Excavating apparatus



J. L. AND J. LE R. POTTER.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION F|LED DEC. 24. 1917.

1,360,681, Patented Nov. 30,1920.

WITNESS:

'6. K zfMwc/z/ ATTORNEY.

, novel parts and in the combinationsandar rangements' ofparts orelements as herein- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH LEWIS POTTER, AND JOSEPH LE ROY POTTER, 0E INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

Application filed December 24, 1917.

To all whom it mayconcern:

e it known that we, JOSEPH LEWIS POT-'- Tim and JOSEPH Ln ROY POTTER,citizens of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the countyof Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Excavating Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, ref.- erence being had to the accompanying drawings, andto the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to the type of excavating apparatus which isadapted for slack-line work with a scoop or drag bucket, the inventionhaving reference more ticularly to means for mounting the bucket on acontrollable cable or slack-line for movably supporting the bucket andpermitting" it to be controlled soas to quickly dump 1tsv cavatingapparatus which shall be especially adapted to be efliciently used andoperated by the minimum number of operators or attendants. whereby ahigh degree of economy in operation may be attained. v

A further object is to provide improved drag bucket construction andimproved means for supporting and controlling the operations of thebucketcwithout requiring troublesome structural features such as dropbottoms, latching device's, springs or other elements that are liable tobecome damaged or deranged due to rough usage with consequent expensefor repairs.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in an improved dumping bucket or scoop having improvedsupporting and controlling apparatus whereby to operate the bucket andautomatically control the bucket so that it shall be tilted forward todump its load and again righted to receive another load.

The invention consists also further. in the Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920. Serial No. 208,682.

after particularly described and further set forth in the accompanyingclaims.

Referring to the drawings :F igure 1 is a side elevation of the improvedexcavating apparatus in working position for trench work, a hoistingmachine of well-known construction being indicated by broken lines asbeing adapted for use in connection with the invention; Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the principal features of the invention in 4 which thebucket is shown as when being carried with a load to be dumped, the carrage of the apparatus being in vertical sectron; Fig. 3 is an endelevation of the carrlage comprised in the invention; Fig. 4 is asection on the line IV-IV on Fig. 2; and, Fig. 5 is a side elevation,partially in sec tion, of the principal elements of the invention, thebucket being shown in the position required for dumping the load.

Corresponding reference characters on the different figures of the.drawings indicate like elements or features of construction hereinreferred to.

On the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a section of the earth 'in whicha trench 2 is partially made, and ahead of the trench is a car 3 thathas an upright frame 4 and also winding drums 5 and 6 so as toconstitute a hoisting machine. Opposite to the car and beyond the trenchis a suitable post or anchor block 7 to which a slack-line or aerialcable S'is connected and slackened or tightened by means of tackleblocks 9 and 10, and a cable 11 which is connected with the winding'drum5. The frame supports a sheave 12 on which the cable 11 is guided and itsupports'alsoa guide sheave 13 below the sheave 12. The tackle block 10is arranged sufliciently high to support the adjacent end of the cable 8at a higher altitude than the opposite end of the cable, so that thecable is inclined and may be slackened according to common practice.

An improved carriage is provided whichcomprises two side members 14.-and 15 suitably connected together with space between them and providedwith carrying wheels 16 and 17 between the members, the wheelsbeingarranged to run upon the cable 8. The carriage is provided betweenthe side mem-; ar it a suppo ting s eav l an a-g d sheave 19 and alsolugs 20 and 21.

The improved drag bucketor scoop comprlses a body portion 22 having abottom 23 and a forward extension 24, the forward end of the bottombeing provided with di ging teeth 25. The extension of the-body portion.is provided with .a sheave 26 which preferably is arranged on an archor top 27 forming a portion of the bucket. 'The top 27 has also a rigidlongitudinal rib 28 thereonhaving a plurality of apertures 29 therein. Acable 30 is hung on the lug 20 and extends under the sheave 26, thenceover the sheave 18 and thence to the rib 28 and adjustably connectedthereto by means of one of the apertures 29, so as to tiltinglysupportthe bucket on the sheave 18. it draglineor draft cable 31 is connectedwith the winding drum6 and extends over the sheave l3andthence below thecable 8 and it has ayoke portion 32 connected with the forwardportion-of the bucket, and also a branch 33 connected to the'lug 21. Thebucket has a hacker rear end 3 which is provided with an arm orba'il35.The latter preferably. being-designedtoconstitute a link is connected bymeans ofa pivot 36 with ears 27 pro jecting from the rear end of thebucket bot tom-23. A. controlling cable 38 is connected to the end ofthe arm or bail and extends over the guide sheave 19 for controlling thetilting of the bucket. The cable 38 preferably 'is'controlled'bymeans ofa yoke which comprises "two side members 39 and LLO secured to spacingblocks 4L1 and 42 and provided with a lug 43, the opening between theside members receiving the cable 8 which supports the spacing block 4-1.The yokeis adapted to'be held against therear end of the carriage by thecable 38 which is connected to'the lug 43. A stop block is is socured tothe cable 8 and is adapted to prevent the yoke from being drawn over itbut is sufliciently small to be received 1n the space provided in thecarriage and permit the carriage wheels to roll over it.

In practical use the carriage rolls by the force of gravity down'theinclined cable 8 and carries the bucket to the desired position forexcavating, after which the cable 8 is slackened so asto lower thebucket as may be required, the yoke on the cable 8 be c ing pushed along'by'the carriage as the latte -r descends. Upon properlyoperating thewinding drum 6 the bucket is drawn forward untiliillod, after which thewinding drum 5 is properly operated to draw up the cable 8 as may berequired to hoist the bucket from the trench; 'The bucket on being'ho'isted and carried by the carriage is caused-by the load therein totilt as indicated in Fig. 2 so as to retain the load.

' The draft yoke '32 being s'lackenedpermits the branch-33- to draw thecarriage forward andoverthe stop block 45%, the cable 38 beingiheldtauti'by the bucket and drawing the yoke members 39 and 40 against thecarriage until the yoke is brought into contact with the block 44 andstopped while the carriage is drawn farther forward, the action causingthe cable 38 to be drawn up over the guide sheave 29 andthusforceiherear end of the bucket upward, resulting in the bucket being tilted overrelatively to the sheave l8 and the arm 35 with the forward ,end of thebucket downward so that the load must be discharged from the bucket.Onpermitting'the' cable 31 to be unwound from the winding drum 6, thecarriage again descends until it engagesthe yoke on the cable 8 andcarriestheyoke downward as beforepthecable 38 being thus permitted torun down over the sheave 19 so that the bucket again becomes rightedasit is lowered into the trench to repeat theexcavating operation. Thewhole proceeding, as will be seen, is automatic upon operation andcontrol of the winding drums 5 and 6. l'lavingthus described theinvention, what is claimed as new is I 1; An excavatingapparatusincluding an aerial cable, hoist-ing means for slackening or'tighten'ing the cable, a block secured to the cable, ,a carriageadapted to receive the block and having wheels'mounted, on the cable toroll overthe'block, the carriage being provided with a guide sheave, ayoke movably supported on one cable on the side of .the carriage to bemoved thereby away from the hoisting means, a drag bucket tiltinglysupported by the carriage and provided with a controlling cableextending over the guide'sheave and secured to the yoke to hold-the yoketo the carriage or per- 7 mit the block to stop theyoke when thecarriage receives and passes the block, and a drag=line connected withthe bucket and having a branch connected-to the carriage.

2. Inan excavating apparatus, the combination with an inclined cable,and a stop block secured to the cable, of a carriage movably mounted onthe cable and adapted to receive and pass over thestop block, thecarriage being provided with a guide sheave, a yoke movably mounted onthe with the bucket and the yoke and extending over the guide sheave. V

3. In an 'excavating apparatus, the combination with ,a carriage having.a supportings'heave and a guide s'heave,of a dra bucket comprising a'body with top and? bottom and also a rear end, the top of the bucketbody having a rib longitudinally arranged thereon, the rib having aplurality of apertures therein, an arm pivotall y connected with therear end of said body adj acent to said bottom, a supporting cableconnected with said rib in one of said apertures and extending over thesupportin sheave to and cooperating with the forward portion of saidbody top to tiltingly support the bucket, and a cable secured to the armand extending over the guide sheave to control 10 the tilting movementof the bucket.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH LEWIS POTTER. JOSEPH LE ROY POTTER. Vitnesses:

E. T. SiLvros, O. L. CROUCH.

